Automatically-operable door-lock mechanism



Sept. 14 1926.

E. B. SMITH AUTOMATIC/ALLY OPERABLE .DOOR LOCK MECHANISM l Filed Nov. 13, 1923 SSN m INVENTOR Ezra Sm,

` E. B. SMITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE DOOR LOCK MECHANSM Sept. 14 1926.

Filed NOVE. 13 1923 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ezra .ES/71H77 TTOR'ZYS BY MMM #i Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA B. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN EDWARD OGDEN, OF MOUNTAINVILLE, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERABLE DOOR-LOCK MECHANISM.

Application led November 13, 1923.

This invention relates to door closures for elevator hatchway doors.

As is well known, it is very essential that elevator hatchway doors be closed in case of iire and means has been provided for automatically closing the doors under such circui'nstances. When the doors are over- `counterbalanced or biased to close, this is accomplished by automatically releasing the locking mechanism which holds them in open position. However, after they have been closed unless the operator is present to lock them in closed position, there is a possibility that the supporting chains may melt, thereby again releasing them and permitting them to open.

This invention has for its salient object to provide means for automatically locking hatchway doors in closed position in case of fire.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which- Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an elevator hatchway illustrating two sets of hatchway doors and the closure and locking mechanism therefor.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation broken away and taken at right angles to Fig. l..

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation on an enlarged scale taken4 substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing the details of the latch for holding the doors in open position.

The invention briefly described consists of locking means such as a pawl normally held in inoperative position but adapted when released to engage the lower door of a pair of door sections and retain the door sections in closed position. The locking means or pawl is in this instance controlled by a weight suspended by a chain and a fusible link. Then the link is melted by the heat, the weight falls, automatically releasing the pawl which thereupon moves to operative Serial No. 674,445.

position and engages a rack formed on one edge of the lower door section. Further details of the invention will appear from the following` description.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, there is shown an elevator hatchway and a plurality of sets of hatchway doors A and B mounted in the hatchway and adapted to close the hatchwayopening.

Each set of hatchway doors comprises a lower door 11 and an upper door 12. The lower door has arms 13 adjacent its upper edge connected by rods 14 and cables 15 to lugs 16 carried by the upper door section adjacent the lower end thereof. The cables intermediate their ends pass over sheaves 17 mounted in brackets 18 secured to supports 19 in the elevator hatchway. In this particular type of door, the upper section 12 is heavier than the lower section and, therefore, unless the door is latched in open position, the weight of the upper section will automatically close the door.

Since the doors are biased to close, means is provided for latching the doors in open position. This means is particularly illustrated in Fig. 5 and consists of a latch 20 eccentrically pivoted at 21 and normally disposed in inoperative position as shown at the upper end of Fig. 1. A pin 22 positioned in a notch 23 of the latch limits the swinging movement of this latch. The latch 2O is moved to operative position only when the doors are opened and to accomplish this a resilient strip is carried by one edge of the lower section 11 and is adapted to engage the latch as shown at the bottom of Fig. 1 and to move the latch to operative position. W hen the latch is moved to operative position a pawl 25 carried by the upper end of the latch is positioned over a lug 26 on the edge of the lower section 11 and retains the lower section in open position. A stop lug 27 is iixedly mounted in the hatchway for limiting the downward movement of the section 11.

Means is provided for manually releasing the latch 2O and this means consists of a bell-crank lever 28 to which is connected a cable 29 on the free end of which is mounted a handle 30 disposed within reach ot the operator.

In order to automatically release the latch and to permit the doors to close in case of fire, a` weight 35 is mounted in the hatchway and this weight is suspended by achain 3G vtrom a stud 37. A fusible link 38 is interposed in the chain and in case of tire this link will melt and permit the weight to drop. A stud 89 is positioned in an elongated slot 40 formed in the weight and limits the downward movement ot the weight when the weight is released. ln order to release the latch 20. a lug l1 is mounted on the weight and is adapted to engage an arm 42 secured to the latch. As the weight drops7 therefore, the lug il will engage the arm Ll2. and swing the latch to the position shown at the upper end ot Fig. 1, thereby permitting the doors to close.

This locking and releasing mechanism is fully shown and described and clain'ied in Patent No. 1,482.9-19, issued to applicant February 5, 1924-.

Manually operable means is provided 'tor locking the doors in closed position. This means comprises a disk 5() invotally mounted on a plate .'31 carried by the lower door section 11. This disk has secured thereto an operating handle 52 and has pii thereon, at points disposed on oppos sides otthe pivot ot the disk, arms and These arms are adapted to slide through keepers 55 and when disposed in their outer position as shown in the upper end ot Fie'. 1, the arms are positioned directly above fixed stops or lugs 56 mounted on the supports 19 in the elevator hatchway. lVhen the disk 5l is swung to its opposite extreme oit movement as shown at the bottom ot Fig. 1. the arms and 511 will be retracted.

ln order to insure the proper positioning ot the door sections when they are ogen and closed, stop means 60 and G1 are mounted respectively on the upper a Ad lower sills G2 and G3. The member G1 is adapted to coact with a hooked member 64 secured to the upper section 12 adjacent the upper end thereof.

The member 60 has oppositely extending; flanges 65 and 6G adapted to coact with oli"- set ends G7 and G8 ot members 69 and 70 secured respectively to the upper and lower edges of the lower section 11.

then the doors are automatically released yfrom the locks 2O and closed due to the greater weight of the upper door sections, they will be retained in closed position unless the supporting' chains are broken or are melted. In order to .insure their bein held in closed position, there is provided i'or each set of doors a latching pawl pivoted at 76 to the support 19 and adapted to engage a rack 77 carried by the lower door section adjacent the lower end thereof. ihe upper end portion or the latchinp` portion oit the pawl is hea ver than the offset lower end portion 7S and a spring` 79 is provided Yfor swinlcg'injbl` the pawl in an anticlockwise direction. The pawl is normally held in retracted position or out ot the path olf movement oi" the rack by reason oi the engagement or' its o'l'l'set lower end 78 with the weight 35. lVhen the lusible lint; 3S is melted and the weight drops, the pavv'l will be released and will move in an anticlockv wise direction7 because et its weight and assisted by the pressure of the spring.;` 79, inte engagement Vwith the rack 77 thereby supportingv the lower door section 11 and retaining` the doors in closed position.

he operation ot the structure described has already been outlined and, thcretore, a further statement ot the operation is not deemed necessary.

llrom the foregoing description it will le seen that means has been provider ttor automatically releasing the doors 'trom the locking means tor retaining; them Ain open position7 thereby permittingA them to close in ease el lire. l `urtherinore, ilirovision has been made 'lor automatically bitching them in closed position. thereby avoiding` the possibih ot the doorl again opening; even it cting elements break.

Although one specilic embodiment ot tbe invention has been iriarticularly shown an described it vill be understood that the ir.- vention is capable ot modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement or the various cooperating parts may be made without departing' 'ir spirit or scope of the invention, er' in the following' claims.

lWhat I claim is:

1. Door mechanism comprising` a door biased to close and heat controlled means Vfor locking' the door in closed position.

2. Door mechanism coniprising a vertically movable door and heat controlled means 'l'or locking' the door in closed position. i

3. Door mechanism comprising` a door biased to close and means controlled by a fusible element for locking; the door in closed position.

Ll. Door mechanism comprisingv a verti cally notable door and means controlled. by a 'fusible element for locking` the door in closed position.

5. Door mechanism comprising' a door and heat controlled means including' a pawl `For locking the door in closed position.

G. Door mechanism comprising' a door and means including,- a pawl controlled by a fusible element for locking the door in closed position. l

7. D001- mechanism comprising a door7 a men'iber for locking the door in closed position and heat controlled means for holding said locking member in inoperative position.

8. Door mechanism comprising a door, a pawl for locking the door in closed position and heat controlled means Yfor holding said locking pawl in inoperative position.

9. Door mechanism comprising a door, a member Yl'or locking the dooiI in closed position and heat controlled means, including a weight suspended by a fusible element, 'tor holding said locking pawl in inoperative position.

10. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door, a member for locking the door in closed position and heat controlled means for holding said locking member in inoperative position.

11. Door mechanism comprising a door biased to close, a member for locking the door in closed position and heat controlled means for holding said locking member in inoperative position.

12. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door biased to close, means to hold the door in open position, normally inoperable means to lock the door in closed position and heat controlled means for releasing said lirst named means and permitting the operation ot said lock means.

13. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door biased to close, means to hold the door in open position, normally inoperable means to lock the door in closed position and heat controlled means including a weight suspended by a fusible element for releasing said first named means and permitting the operation of said lock means.

lll. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door biased to close, means to hold the door in open position, normally inoperable means including a pawl to lock the door in closed position and heat controlled means for releasing said first named means and permitting the operation of said lool; means.

15. Door mechanism comprising a door, means including meltable elements tor causing the door to close and heat controlled means tor locking the door in closed position.

1G. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door, means including meltable elements for causing the door to close and heat controlled means for locking the door in closed position.

17. Door mechanism comprising a door, counter-weighting means including meltable elements for causing the door to close and heat controlled means for locking the door in closed position.

18. Door mechanism comprising a pair of vertically movable door sections, the upper section being heavier than the lower section, connecting means between the sections whereby the weight of the npger section will close the low -r section and heat controlled means engageable with the lower section for locking the door in closed position.

19. Door mechanism comprising a pair ot vertically movable door sections, the upper section being heavier than the lower section, connecting means between the sections whereby the weight ot the upper section will close the lower section and normally inoperative heat controlled means engageable with the lower section for locking the door in closed position.

20. Door mechanism comprising a pair of vertically movable door sections, the ripper section being heavier than the lower section, connecting means between the sections whereby the weight of the upper section will close the lower section and heat controlled means including a pawl engageable with the lower section for locking the door in closed position.

21. Door mechanism comprising a pair of vertically movable door sections, the upper section being heavier than the lower section, connecting means between the sections whereby the weight of the upper section wi il close the lower section, means lor locking the door ections in open position, normally inoperative means :tor locking said sections in closed position and heat controlled means adapted to coact with both ot said locking means.

Q2. Door mechanism comprising a pair ol vertically movable door sections, the upper section being heavier than the lower section, connecting means between the sections whereby the weight oi' the upper section will close the lower section, means for loci;- ing the door sections in open position, normally inoperative means for locking said sections in closed position and heat controlled means ttor releasing said i'irst named locking means and permitting the operation oi said second named loclzing means.

23. Door mechanism comprising a door and heat controlled, gravity actuated means for locking the door in closed position.

24. Door mechanism comprising a door and heat controlled means including gravity actuated pawl for locking the door in closed position.

25. Door mechanism comprising a door and gravity actuated means controlled by a fusible element for locking the door in closed position.

26. Door mechanism comprising ak door and heat controlled, spring actuated means engageable with the door lor locking the door in closed position.

27. Door mechanism comprising a vertically movable door, a gravity actua-ted meinber 'for ockng the door in oloSeL position und hout Controlled ineens for holding sind "-nenioer in inoperative position.

x r fn comprising e pun' or 'table door Sections, the upper than the lower seoree" betvfee the Section5 the weight et the upper section will Close the lower section and heat Con trolled, gravity actuated means engageable With the lower Section Yfor looking the door in closed position.

In Witness whereof7 I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of October, 1923.

EZRA B. SMITH. 

